A public health expert, Dr. Gabriel Adakole has called on the Federal Government to prioritise accurate and timely diagnosis as a key component of its healthcare agenda to enhance patient safety across Nigeria.
Adakole made this appeal during an interview with Science Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja, in commemoration of World Patient Safety Day. He emphasised the importance of addressing diagnostic errors, which he described as a significant threat to patient safety.
World Patient Safety Day, observed annually on September 17, seeks to raise awareness and promote global solidarity in reducing harm within healthcare systems. The theme for this year, “Get it Right, Make it Safe!” highlights the crucial role accurate diagnosis plays in ensuring patient safety.
Adakole stressed that timely and accurate diagnoses are fundamental to providing effective treatment, preventing avoidable deaths, and reducing complications.
“A correct and timely diagnosis is the foundation of effective treatment and care. Any failure in this process can lead to serious health consequences,” he stated.
He explained that diagnostic errors, such as missed, delayed, or incorrect diagnoses, account for a large proportion of preventable harm in healthcare. These errors, he noted, can arise from various factors, including poor communication among healthcare providers, heavy workloads and insufficient training of healthcare workers.
“A diagnosis is essential for identifying a patient’s health condition. Achieving an accurate diagnosis requires close collaboration between patients and their healthcare teams. However, the diagnostic process is complex and can be lengthy, with errors potentially occurring at any stage,” he added.
Adakole highlighted that such errors could prolong illness and in severe cases, lead to disability or death. To address these issues, he urged the Federal Government to invest in modern diagnostic tools, improve healthcare worker training and create policies that promote better communication and teamwork within healthcare settings.
He also advocated for increased collaboration between the government and stakeholders to implement systemic changes aimed at reducing diagnostic errors.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) has long emphasised the need to prioritise diagnostic safety as part of global efforts to improve patient care. WHO aims to work with governments to design safe diagnostic pathways, support healthcare workers in making accurate decisions and engage patients in the diagnostic process,” he said.
Adakole stressed that patient safety is a shared responsibility, calling on healthcare providers, patients and policymakers to work together to minimise diagnostic errors and improve health outcomes for Nigerians.
“Understanding the diagnostic process is essential for reducing errors. This process involves several steps, including the patient’s initial presentation, history-taking, examination, diagnostic testing, and communication of results. Errors can occur at any stage,” he explained.
He recommended solutions such as fostering positive workplace environments, ensuring access to high-quality diagnostic tools and encouraging healthcare workers to continuously enhance their skills while addressing unconscious biases.
“Additionally, patients should be empowered to actively participate throughout their diagnostic journey,” he concluded.
